Japan Disregards Chinese Warning, Constructs Missile System Near Taiwan

Japan’s government has confirmed it will proceed with plans to strengthen air defence on a remote island near Taiwan, despite receiving warnings from China. Japan’s Defence Ministry is targeting deployment of the missile system by 2031.

The decision signals that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi remains committed to her defence strengthening agenda. The move comes amid escalating military pressure from China against Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.

Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the government’s plan is to deploy the Type 03 Chu-SAM surface-to-air missile system to Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture in fiscal year 2030. The island lies approximately 70 miles from Taiwan’s eastern coast.

“Currently, we are continuing necessary tasks, such as basic studies on facility improvements for troop deployment to the eastern side of the garrison,” Koizumi said.

The Type 03 Chu-SAM system is mounted on an 8x8 truck and equipped with a phased array radar capable of tracking up to 100 aircraft, ballistic missiles, or drones, whilst simultaneously engaging around a dozen targets. China has described the plan as “highly dangerous,” although the missile’s range of approximately 30 miles is deemed insufficient to reach Chinese airspace.

However, the plan has raised concerns that Yonaguni could become a target should conflict involving US and Japanese forces occur. Okinawa itself hosts approximately 70 per cent of US military installations in Japan.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accused Japan of moving further away from the post-war order.

“This latest move once again exposes the ambitions of Japan’s right-wing forces for remilitarisation,” she said.

Tokyo-Beijing tensions have escalated since November, when Takaichi stated that a hypothetical Chinese blockade of Taiwan could constitute an emergency requiring intervention. Beijing viewed the statement as evidence of Japanese remilitarisation and responded with several punitive measures.

In her inaugural parliamentary address, Takaichi emphasised that Japan “faces the most severe and complex security environment since World War II,” whilst alluding to China’s aggressive posture, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea’s nuclear programme advancement.